gamekeeper1960 Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 Hi Chaps another one for you people to mull over,we've also got a bit of a problem with Buzards in my part of Norfolk somebody thought it would be a good idear to reintroduce them here, and my god iI wish they had'ant its not that they kill that many of them they're just moving the birds everybl--dy where and a lot off my beat and getting them back is proving a hell of a problem.Has anyone else have this problem and how do you sort it without breaking the law which is something I dont what to do I've thought about using a laser to try and frighten them off but I know this means sending a lot of time chaseing them round.so any idears I would be most greatfull but please keep it legal !!!.Cheers Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elby Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 Hi Chaps another one for you people to mull over,we've also got a bit of a problem with Buzards in my part of Norfolk somebody thought it would be a good idear to reintroduce them here, and my god iI wish they had'ant its not that they kill that many of them they're just moving the birds everybl--dy where and a lot off my beat and getting them back is proving a hell of a problem.Has anyone else have this problem and how do you sort it without breaking the law which is something I dont what to do I've thought about using a laser to try and frighten them off but I know this means sending a lot of time chaseing them round.so any idears I would be most greatfull but please keep it legal !!!.Cheers Dave. I find on my shoot that the buzzards don't move the birds about but actually keep them in the woods & covers. I always leave a few rabbits I've shot on the ground and that seems to keep them fed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin g Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 Like elby says, leave dead rabbits out for them.. You could make a feeding station for them, bit like a bird table but in the form of a T-bar with the rabbits draped over but high enough up so mr fox cant get them, and have it sited away from where you dont want them but visual for the buzzards to see.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickologjam Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 I'm not sure how many adult birds a buzzard actually takes. Definitely an issue with poults but two weeks ago I saw 3 pheasant and a buzzard flushed in front of me from the edge of a stream during a walked up shoot. I saw the birds together on the ground previously and the pheasant were easily within reach of cover. Suppose they are like seals and Great Whites, get nailed when they can't see the predator first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poontang Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 Buzzards are lazy hunters in general. They'll often sit up in a tree for hours waiting for unwary prey to pass underneath, then simply drop onto it. A feeding station as suggested by Martin g would probably keep them happy enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highseas Posted November 5, 2011 Report Share Posted November 5, 2011 ohhh pheasants and birds of prey............ime staying well out of this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamekeeper1960 Posted November 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 I find on my shoot that the buzzards don't move the birds about but actually keep them in the woods & covers. I always leave a few rabbits I've shot on the ground and that seems to keep them fed. Thanks Chaps for your help and everything is taken on board, I will be out ferreting on monday morning and will make up a feeding station as suggested. Cheers All Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark g Posted November 6, 2011 Report Share Posted November 6, 2011 we use scarecrows to deter them a bit in the release pens along with a couple of old motors, you have to move them regularly and it dont stop them all but it helps a bit, one thing i found is that we lose a few pheasants to trains on a railway line on one side of the estate and buzzards like to feed on them, also buzzards are not great at judging the speed of a train especially in cuttings or either end of a viaduct Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chard Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 we use scarecrows to deter them a bit in the release pens along with a couple of old motors, you have to move them regularly and it dont stop them all but it helps a bit, one thing i found is that we lose a few pheasants to trains on a railway line on one side of the estate and buzzards like to feed on them, also buzzards are not great at judging the speed of a train especially in cuttings or either end of a viaduct Can't imagine it's legal to incite people to lure protected species into a situation that's going to kill them. Classic example of why the majority of the UK population despise fieldsports. Nice advertisment, you're a real ambassador Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-G Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Can't imagine it's legal to incite people to lure protected species into a situation that's going to kill them. Classic example of why the majority of the UK population despise fieldsports. Nice advertisment, you're a real ambassador I read it as a caution rather than incitement - but I guess it's down to how someone wants to read it or draw attention to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
super sharp shooter Posted November 7, 2011 Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 Can't imagine it's legal to incite people to lure protected species into a situation that's going to kill them. Classic example of why the majority of the UK population despise fieldsports. Nice advertisment, you're a real ambassador He isn't saying to draw them in to be killed by trains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamekeeper1960 Posted November 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2011 we use scarecrows to deter them a bit in the release pens along with a couple of old motors, you have to move them regularly and it dont stop them all but it helps a bit, one thing i found is that we lose a few pheasants to trains on a railway line on one side of the estate and buzzards like to feed on them, also buzzards are not great at judging the speed of a train especially in cuttings or either end of a viaduct You know I never thought of asking british rail to put a line through my beat! But then again I might end up with the pheasants getting on the train and straying to the beach instead, so maybe I'll stick with the feed station instead. but thanks for giving me a laugh. Cheers chaps Dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark g Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Can't imagine it's legal to incite people to lure protected species into a situation that's going to kill them. Classic example of why the majority of the UK population despise fieldsports. Nice advertisment, you're a real ambassador i am not inciting anything its just an observation, i have seen buzzards eating each other during the last 2 hard winters, is that inciting freezing weather? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Kelly Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 There's a lot of Beech masts and acorns around at the moment. Along with the mild weather you wouldn't be the only shoot having trouble keeping your birds in the drives. Once it gets colder things should get back to nearer normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albertan_J Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Apply for a licence to cull its about time someone did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albertan_J Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 http://www.shootingtimes.co.uk/features/530224/Upland_Keeper.html Interesting read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamekeeper1960 Posted November 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Apply for a licence to cull its about time someone did. Cheers Albertan_j A realy good read and my god they're right but until these birds of prey have killed off all the other wildlife in this country will something be done ...but as usual to little to late.!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamekeeper1960 Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 Apply for a licence to cull its about time someone did. Thanks Albertan_j but I would'nt be the first to ask for one but so far natural england are refusing to give out a lience to any one even though one chap has been waiting for over six month so far and they tell you will get an answer in six weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alycidon Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 Buzzards do take poults and big ones at that, last week we had a bird hit hard that went on, picker up went for it maybe 20 mins later as it was close to the next drive, Buzzard had beaten him to it. Not unusal to see 4 or 5 Buzzards at a time. had a Red Kite here a couple of weeks ago, it was tagged with a coloured tag that according to my local bird watcher indicated it was tagged in the Chilterns, maybe 70 miles from here. Kestrels and Sparrow Hawks have made partridges simply impossible around here. A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albertan_J Posted December 14, 2011 Report Share Posted December 14, 2011 its got out of hand simple as that way he'd a bizzare take the back out of a hen at the weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smig4373 Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 (edited) we use scarecrows to deter them a bit in the release pens along with a couple of old motors, you have to move them regularly and it dont stop them all but it helps a bit, one thing i found is that we lose a few pheasants to trains on a railway line on one side of the estate and buzzards like to feed on them, also buzzards are not great at judging the speed of a train especially in cuttings or either end of a viaduct This comes from the same person that suggested planting Rhody,Larch and Laurel in there woods....Thats the fastest way to get Phytophthora and sudden oak death in the wood.... :hmm: Clearly a genius in land and wildlife mangement Edited December 16, 2011 by smig4373 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamekeeper1960 Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 This comes from the same person that suggested planting Rhody,Larch and Laurel in there woods....Thats the fastest way to get Phytophthora and sudden oak death in the wood.... :hmm: Clearly a genius in land and wildlife mangement Thanks for that smig4373,Hmm a bit random when we talking about buzards but thanks :unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark g Posted December 19, 2011 Report Share Posted December 19, 2011 This comes from the same person that suggested planting Rhody,Larch and Laurel in there woods....Thats the fastest way to get Phytophthora and sudden oak death in the wood.... :hmm: Clearly a genius in land and wildlife mangement its just an observation my friend, i spend my working life watching what goes on in our part of the country, for what its worth i would rather not lose any birds on the railway line, and then if we did i would rather be able to go and pick them up and chuck the casualtys along the railway fence so that the buzzards could feed on them without any danger from the trains, because whilst the buzzards give us a bit of grief whilst the poults are in the pens, they actually help to keep them off the railway while they are hunting up and down for carrion thus we lose less birds if the buzzards are present and alive, british transport police would be upset if i was to trespass onto the railway so if you fancy a buzzard preservation exercise get onto network rail and ask if they can have thier tappers chuck any roadkill over the fence. if you are still intent on haveing a pop at me for reasons i dont really understand, can i suggest you keep the tree and shrub stuff to the appropriate thread, thanks, mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taffyshooter Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 (edited) Buzzards do take poults and big ones at that, last week we had a bird hit hard that went on, picker up went for it maybe 20 mins later as it was close to the next drive, Buzzard had beaten him to it. Not unusal to see 4 or 5 Buzzards at a time. had a Red Kite here a couple of weeks ago, it was tagged with a coloured tag that according to my local bird watcher indicated it was tagged in the Chilterns, maybe 70 miles from here. Kestrels and Sparrow Hawks have made partridges simply impossible around here. A Well Kestrels are in decline which is a shame given the amount of rodents they consume - I know the cereal farmers next to the permission I use are fond of seeing them about. TBH my experience is that raptors do alot more good then harm by thinning out the likes of magpies, grey squirrles etc. Some such as Red Kites are simply scavangers that rarely catch any live prey. As for pheasants poults - I've been releasing them for years while at the same time seen buzzard numbers shoot up here in South Wales. Can't say I've noticed any major change in poult survival. Buzzards round here seem to prefer the likes of rabbits and rats going on the remains I've found under their plucking posts. Only trouble I ever had was from a rogue female sparrow hawk who took a few small poults on me one year. She then got caught in a ladder trap I had for crows - after I let her go I didn't see her again as I think the experience put the wind up here!! Edited December 20, 2011 by Taffyshooter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gamekeeper1960 Posted December 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) Well Kestrels are in decline which is a shame given the amount of rodents they consume - I know the cereal farmers next to the permission I use are fond of seeing them about. TBH my experience is that raptors do alot more good then harm by thinning out the likes of magpies, grey squirrles etc. Some such as Red Kites are simply scavangers that rarely catch any live prey. As for pheasants poults - I've been releasing them for years while at the same time seen buzzard numbers shoot up here in South Wales. Can't say I've noticed any major change in poult survival. Buzzards round here seem to prefer the likes of rabbits and rats going on the remains I've found under their plucking posts. Only trouble I ever had was from a rogue female sparrow hawk who took a few small poults on me one year. She then got caught in a ladder trap I had for crows - after I let her go I didn't see her again as I think the experience put the wind up here!! Hi Taffyshooter, I think the problem seems to to more geographic,I'd say you probablly have more magpies rabbits etc than we do and of cause sheep this could be a major difference. The RSPB and OT who are behind the release over here never took this in to concideration before letting loose, so they end up going for the easiest meal and just happens to be the pheseants and as for sparrow hawks it nothing unsual to see four in area of 200 acres here so when you times that by at least one kill per day then you know we've got a major problem.Oh and yes i agree I love to see kestrels and we do have a fair few but as you say they only eat mice voles and worms. Cheers Dave. Edited December 22, 2011 by gamekeeper1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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